Finger Lakes Community College

Administrative Assistant

The Degree

Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.)

The Outlook

Empower yourself with the knowledge and skills to pursue a fulfilling and challenging career in today's high-tech office, where jobs are plentiful. According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook, administrative assistants and secretaries rank among the largest occupations in the U.S. economy. Projected employment varies by specialty, with the fastest growth expected for executive administrative assistants and for fast growing industries such as personnel supply, computer services, health and legal services education, and engineering and management. Additionally, many positions will become available as people change careers or leave the labor force altogether

The Administrative Assistant degree program at Finger Lakes Community College can help you enter the job market with strong high- tech, management, and communication skills.

The Program

The Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.) Administrative Assistant degree program provides an individualized approach by providing small class size and supportive faculty and staff.

Technology: Classrooms are equipped with state-of-the-art computers utilizing administrative software programs as well as ergonomically designed office furniture to simulate an actual work environment.

In addition to the associate's degree, the College offers a Certificate in Office Technology, which can be earned in as little as nine months and is fully transferable to the degree program.

Honors Courses: In addition, the College offers honors courses that provide enhanced educational experiences for students who have demonstrated outstanding academic ability. Enrollment in honors courses is open to qualified students enrolled in this degree program, as well as all other qualified FLCC students. Successful completion of honors courses or an Honors Certificate may increase student transfer options to four-year institutions.

The Experience

Administrative Assistant degree students have toured operations at Xerox Corporation, Canandaigua Wine Company, Goulds Pumps, and other businesses.

Students also gain valuable networking opportunities by attending programs sponsored by the International Association of Administrative Professionals in Rochester. Internship opportunities are often available at local offices.

Financial Aid: A number of financial aid options are available at Finger Lakes Community College. Many of our students receive some type of assistance with college costs, including scholarships, PELL grants, TAP awards, work study aid, grants, and loans. For details, contact the Financial Aid Office.

Child Care: FLCC houses a fully licensed child care facility at the north end of its Canandaigua campus. For more information, contact the Child Care Center at (585) 394-6666.

The Graduates

Graduates from this degree program are employable immediately upon graduation, and career choices are as diverse as one's imagination: legal; medical or veterinary medicine; science; research; entertainment; social service; construction; retail; journalism; religion; education; real estate; advertising; accounting; wine industry; federal, state, and local government; banking; insurance; and tourism.

Our graduates are employed at such businesses as Kodak, Canandaigua Medical Group, Goulds Pumps, Xerox, and others throughout the region and across New York. Those who choose to transfer to four-year institutions such as Nazareth College of Rochester and the Rochester Institute of Technology*, are currently pursuing careers as marketing administrators, paralegals, teachers, and college professors.

Salary: While salaries vary greatly by industry segment and region, the most recent Occupational Outlook Handbook reports the median annual earnings of administrative assistants and secretaries as $33,410.

* This is a sampling of some of the four-year colleges and universities to which our students have transferred. Please consult your advisor or the Center for Advisement and Personal Development for a complete listing of transfer agreements between Finger Lakes Community College and four-year institutions.

The Faculty

The Administrative Assistant/Office Technologies professors are dedicated to FLCC’s mission of teaching and committed to teaching the most current office technology. Faculty members hold master’s degrees from Nazareth College and bring years of practical office experience into the classroom.

Administrative Assistant (A.A.S.)

Curriculum Requirements

Students are required to complete a minimum of 64 semester hours with a grade point average of not less than C (2.0).

All associate degree programs require English 101 Freshman English and English 102 Introduction to Literature. Students must pass skills assessment for entrance into these courses. Students who are well prepared may substitute ENG 104 English I Honors and ENG 105 English II Honors for ENG101 and ENG102. Students who are considering the English Honors sequence should consult the Director of Honors.

Students must successfully complete:

Humanities

ENG101 Freshman English and ENG 102 Introduction to Literature
or
ENG104 English I Honors and ENG105 English II Honors
COM 110 Public Speaking

Social Science

ECO 100 Survey of Economics
PSY 124 Organizational Behavior

Science and/or Mathematics

Minimum of 3 credit hours

Mathematics

Minimum of 3 credit hours

Computer Science

3 credit hours of computer science electives

Business and Office Technologies

BUS 120 Business Organization
BUS 200/OFT 200 Office Management
Business Elective
OFT 141 College Keyboarding II
OFT 150 Basic Accounting
OFT 156 Office Communications
OFT 210 Word Processing I
OFT 211 Word Processing II
OFT 213 Office Automation
OFT 247 Office Procedures I
OFT 248 Office Procedures II

Health/Physical Education Elective

4 credit hours

Electives

The remainder of the required hours must be made up of approved electives.

Administrative Assistant (A.A.S.)

Sample Schedule

The schedule below shows how the requirements for the A.A.S. Administrative Assistant degree may be met in four semesters. This schedule is an example of one of many possible different schedules. It is included here only as an illustration of the type of schedule that might be followed by a full-time student. Many students at Finger Lakes Community College who have work and/or family obligations choose a different sequence of courses and take more than four semesters to fulfill the requirements of the A.A.S. Administrative Assistant degree. Similarly, students who find they need to take some additional course work to prepare them to do well in the types of courses included in the A.A.S. Administrative Assistant degree program may plan a schedule that takes more than four semesters to complete the degree. All students should consult their advisors when they plan their schedule.

First Semester (16 Credit Hours)

ENG 101 Freshman English (3)
OFT 141 College Keyboarding II (3)
BUS 120 Business Organization (3)
OFT 156 Office Communications (3)
OFT 150 Basic Accounting (3)
Health/Physical Education Elective (1)

Second Semester (16 Credit Hours)

ENG 102 Introduction to Lit (3)
COM 110 Public Speaking (3)
PSY 124 Organizational Behavior (3)
OFT 210 Word Processing I (3)
Computer Science Elective (3)
Health/Physical Education Elective (1)

Third Semester (16 Credit Hours)

OFT 247 Office Procedures I (3)
OFT 211 Word Processing II (3)
ECO 100 Survey of Economics (3)
Math Elective (3)
General Elective (3)
Health/Physical Education Elective (1)

Fourth Semester (16/17 Credit Hours)

OFT 248 Office Procedures II (3)
OFT 213 Office Automation (3)
OFT 253 Machine Transcription (3)
OFT/BUS 200 Office Management (3)
Math OR Science Elective (3/4)
Health/Physical Education Elective (1)

Recommended Sequence for the Office Technology Certificate (HEGIS 5005)

First Semester (15 Credit Hours)

OFT 140 College Keyboarding I or OFT 141 College Keyboarding II (3)
OFT 156 Office Communications (3)
OFT 247 Office Procedures I (3)
BUS 120 Business Organization (3)
OFT 150 Basic Accounting or OFT 210 Word Processing I** (3)

Second Semester (15 Credit Hours)

OFT 141 College Keyboarding II or OFT 213 Office Automation (3)
OFT/BUS 200 Office Management (3)
OFT 248 Office Procedures II (3)
OFT 210 Word Processing I or OFT 150 Basic Accounting (3)
Business Elective (3)

*Placement will be based on student's skills. The student is required to take College Keyboarding II in order to receive the Certificate.

** At least College Keyboarding I or permission of instructor is a prerequisite for this course. Also, the student must take Word Processing I if enrolling in College Keyboarding II during the first semester.

*** The student must take Basic Accounting if College Keyboarding II has been taken in the first semester.

The student who has completed the certificate program may transfer directly into the two-year program to earn an Associate in Applied Science Degree.